More than 60 million viewers across the U.S. tuned into the 2026 men’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina last month, between Fox and Spanish-language rights holder Telemundo. How many will tune into Netflix’s coverage of the 2027 women’s World Cup final, as of now, remains arguably the biggest experiment for FIFA and the women’s game — and a potential test case for the men.Fox, the American broadcaster that has held the English-language rights for six editions of the men’s and women’s tournaments, will be off duty for the first time since 2014. The shift from one of the primary broadcasters in the United States to streaming giant Netflix is a seismic one that has inspired plenty of nerves among women’s soccer fans. It also opens up the doors to reimagining the coverage of the sport’s biggest moment.No financials were disclosed when the deal was announced in 2024, though last week Bloomberg News reported that Netflix paid around $200 million for the two editions of the tournament. FIFA’s decision to split up the men’s and women’s tournaments’ media rights allowed the women’s tournament to establish and develop its own commercial value. Fox shelled out $485 million for the 2026 men’s World Cup alone. That price is expected to rise considerably for the next men’s tournament. (FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has gone on record saying that the men’s tournaments should, in part, remain free to air.)More than 60 million U.S. viewers tuned into the 2026 men’s World Cup final between Spain and Argentina. (David Ramos / Getty Images)Netflix has been making some bets of its own on live sports, picking and choosing where to acquire more events, including the MLB Home Run Derby, boxing and NFL holiday games. Netflix hit a high mark for the most-streamed NFL game thanks in part to Beyoncé’s halftime show during a game between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans on Christmas Day 2024, with the stream peaking at 27 million during halftime.Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters noted on an earnings call that live events have been key to driving sign-ups. Live programming has driven six out of the top 10 new subscriber sign-up days over the past five years.As with all other live sporting events the streamer has aired, there’s no upcharge to existing subscribers. The platform’s cheapest subscription package, which includes ads, costs $8.99 per month. As of 2025, Netflix had around 90 million subscribers across the U.S. and Canada (meanwhile, ESPN’s TV subscriptions continue to drop — by 2024, it was in less than 68 million homes, though customers have shifted to the network’s streaming service).FIFA, not Netflix, will make the call on whether hydration breaks, which punctuated every game this summer, return. Though it will be winter in Brazil, the men’s tournament had hydration breaks during games played in indoor venues, too.Netflix’s countdown page promises, “Coverage will be available in multiple languages, with English and Spanish telecasts in the United States and English and select French telecasts in Canada. Alongside the live matches, fans can expect studio coverage, commentary, entertainment, and documentary programming that brings them closer to the players, teams, and stories shaping the global women’s game.”Former ESPN host Elle Duncan is the primary expert for Netflix’s emerging live sports branch. (Tristan Fewings / Getty Images for Netflix)Very little else is known beyond the hiring of two experienced outside broadcasters who will serve as executive producers of the tournament in Michael Cohen and Eli Velazquez. (Disclaimer: I worked with Cohen during the NWSL on Lifetime era from 2017 to 2019.) Elle Duncan, who joined Netflix from ESPN in 2025, served as the primary expert for Netflix’s storylines to watch published in June.